It happens to most of us: Whether you’re self-employed or whether you work for someone else, there are going to be times when you’re simply not as busy as you could be. So, how can you make the most of this downtime? Read on for some of my go-to strategies, in the form of a “dos and don’ts” list.
Don’t panic. Take a breath. For me, this downtime often seems to happen at the very beginning of the year, and it frequently follows a marathon few months of work. This past year, for example, November and December were incredibly hectic, full of year-end reports, grants, editing end-of-semester papers for the grad students I work with, and pandemic holiday preparations. Finishing up all of these projects felt like an achievement, and I knew that it was important to take a little bit of time to relax and catch up on the sleep that I’d been neglecting. I also knew that this downtime wouldn’t last forever; based on past experience and on conversations with clients, I knew that some big projects would be headed my way in the next few weeks. So (while I know this is easier said than done), I didn’t let myself get consumed with thoughts of “What if no one ever hires me again?” Instead, I tried to make the most of the free time that I had while I had it.
Do put yourself out there professionally. It’s never a bad idea to be hunting for new clients and opportunities, but it can be difficult to find the time to do so. When you’re able to, take some time to brainstorm new things you’d potentially be interested in doing. Update your LinkedIn profile. Look for some networking events, and add them to your calendar. Online networking events have, of course, proliferated during the pandemic, and they can be a great way to meet new professional contacts, or even just to practice pitching yourself and talking about why you’re good at what you do. You can also try joining Facebook or Meetup groups, or see what’s going on in your school alumni networks; there’s a lot out there. Alternatively, you can take the time to catch up with friends or former colleagues for a Zoom happy hour before everyone gets “too busy” yet again.
Do invest in yourself! This can be anything from enrolling in an online class to simply attending a webinar on a topic that you’re particularly interested in—whether it’s related to your work or not. Personally, I’ve found some great online events from my grad school alma mater, Columbia University; I’ve attended some webinars on everything to funding priorities for major foundations to education-related policy priorities for the new presidential administration, and they’ve been both interesting and relevant to my work. I’m also planning to enroll in an ESL certification program. Think about something you’d love to learn more about, and see what’s out there! You never know where it might lead you.
Do tackle some of your “later” projects. These can be either boring things you’ve been putting off (i.e., cleaning and organizing your desk), or more fun things that you’ve been meaning to try, but regardless, if you’re like me, you probably have a few items on your to-do list that you’ve been promising to tackle given the extra time. On the more entertaining side, I did a little bit of creative writing. I’ve also tried experimenting with some new recipes that I pinned to my Pinterest board months ago, with mostly stellar results. I also sorted through some of my old photos from the past decade, and reorganized them into albums. This was also a really wonderful way, during a pandemic when we’re largely stuck at home, to remember and revisit some of the trips I’ve been lucky to take over the years.
It’s also important to check some of those duller projects off your list. Personally, as someone who’s probably a borderline digital hoarder, I deleted old e-mails from my inbox. I had something like 100,000 unread messages—nothing important, thanks to my filtering system, but these were still things that were taking up digital space, and that felt kind of overwhelming. With every old e-newsletter or request for campaign donations that I deleted, I felt a little lighter. Since this was mind-numbingly dull work, I’d reward myself with a quick YouTube video every so often. I also did some cleaning around my apartment, and organized my desk. What domestic chore have you been putting off? I know we all have at least one!
Don’t spend all your time watching TV. I know how tempting it can be, on a day when you’re not so busy, to open up Netflix or Hulu and indulge in your TV guilty pleasure. Take it from me: try not to do this! I think we all know how easy it is for “just one episode” of SVU to turn into an Olivia Benson marathon. If you can, try to keep the streaming to after-dark hours. Use it as a reward for a productive day!
What are some of your favorite ways to make the most of your downtime? Let me know in the comments!
P.S.: I recently discussed downtime on the wonderful Creative Directions for Living Podcast. Check the interview out here!